Posted on 01/24/2005 9:35:25 PM PST by ConservativeMan55
FLASH: Fermi 2 nuclear power plant in Michigan is shut down... 'We have a leak of reactor coolant into the containment structure... leak rate was about 75 gallons a minute but is reducing,' John Austerberry, spokesman... 'there is no indication of a radioactive release'... MORE...
lol
The simple fact that there is any type of leak at a facility like that should have folks worried.Alarmist.
Like you've never had a pipe break - or a pump shaft seal rupture ...
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Not since the surgery, no.
Thanks for the reply!
Thats disturbing
look at the eyes they all have that stary eyed look except for the middle one.. He's like oh crap! I didn't sign on for this!
BTTT
I trust that the loss of coolant isn't an issue in itself?
Any nuclear savvy persons out there that could shed some light on this?
That's just sick! ROFL!
If it isn't radioactive, it's probably the secondary loop, which is used to cool and condense the primary loop after it exits the turbines. Fermi #2 is a Boiling Water Reactor; Pressurized Water Reactors often have three or more loops, but the turbine loop is generally non-radioactive, which has definite benefits.
Reactor coolant is not dangerous. I will drink some. It is dangerous when there is fuel failure and the fission products get in the water. There is no fuel failure involved in this accident. Just let the N-16 gammas die down first.
A reactor will stay on line with less than 1 GPM unidentified RCS leakage and up to 6 GPM identified. Most power plants can figure out their leak rates immediately and track the leakage rate down to a gnat's ass.
The 75 GPM leakage would clearly be seen immediately if it was instantaneous. It would be identified by radiation monitors (pretty sensitive stuff) if in containment. The reactor was shutdown immediately and started to be cooled down / depressurized. The nice thing about this is that the charging pumps and High Pressure Safety Injection pumps would be able to handle a leak rate of 75 GPM quite handily.
It is not going to take months to recover from this maintenance opportunity (a cute little nuclear euphemism that means since this broke we can fix this other stuff).
It would take months or if ever to recover from a major loop blowout with fuel failure. This little accident is far from the design basis scenario.
I trust then that this is a coolant breach which wouldn't create a situation that over temp could cause a more serious situation?
Or is it a situation that could, but isn't an issue if taken care of in a timely fashion?
Thanks for the info my FRiend.
Sounds reasonable, Mike.
But I recall a 6 GPM leak at Clinton (Illinois) in 96 that kept them down for more than 2 years. The NRC also saw the opportunity and went in and discovered all kinds of procedural, purchasing, inventory and record keeping problems.
PECO ended up buying the $3 Billion plant for $200 Million and Illinois Power customers got stuck with paying off the old bonds.
Southeast Michigan, near the town of Monroe below Detroit on Lake Erie.
And, no, Homer Simpson is not the Safety Officer at this plant. I believe he's the Shift Supervisor at Monticello NGS.
< But I recall a 6 GPM leak at Clinton (Illinois) in 96 that kept them down for more than 2 years. The NRC also saw the opportunity and went in and discovered all kinds of procedural, purchasing, inventory and record keeping problems. >
Very often simple leaks at any type plant will initiate a long shutdown for maintenance that is needed, but not an ememrgency, to be done. It's called "opportunistic". Put maintenance on a punch list for when a "have to" shutdown occurs. Often times the reason for the shutdown is fixed within hours, but "opportunistic" maintainance will cause a shutdown to last much longer.
bttt
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